Pranayamic Breathing as a Mindfulness-Based Intervention for Speaking Anxiety and Oral performance in Planned and Unplanned Speaking Tasks

Speaking constitutes a fundamental skill in second language acquisition; however, it simultaneously represents one of the most psychologically demanding tasks for many learners. The fear of negative evaluation, apprehension regarding linguistic errors, and difficulties with lexical retrieval precipitate hesitation and diminished classroom participation. Mindfulness-based breathing interventions, particularly pranayama—a system of yogic breathing techniques offer a theoretically grounded approach to ameliorating this pedagogical challenge. The present study employed a mixed-methods design to investigate the effects of pranayamic breathing techniques on speaking anxiety and oral performance among Iranian English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners. Participants comprised 25 intermediate-level learners (experimental group: n=13; control group: n=12) enrolled at a private language institute in Isfahan, Iran. Data were collected through planned and unplanned speaking tasks, a classroom observation anxiety checklist, and semi-structured interviews conducted during the final session. Quantitative analyses utilizing MANCOVA revealed statistically significant reductions in observable anxiety symptoms, particularly physical manifestations (p < .05) and verbal/speech disruptions (p < .05), among learners in the experimental group. However, improvements in measured speaking performance did not reach statistical significance. Qualitative thematic analysis of interview data yielded four principal themes: anxiety reduction, enhanced concentration, positive classroom atmosphere, and transferability of techniques to extra-curricular contexts. Participants reported that the breathing exercises engendered feelings of calmness, bolstered confidence, and provided strategies applicable to stressful situations beyond the language classroom. These findings suggest that pranayama constitutes a practical, low-cost, and culturally adaptable intervention for alleviating speaking anxiety and supporting learners' affective well-being in EFL contexts.